Preparing Your Home or Office for Fumigation: A Practical Checklist

Fumigation works best when the treatment can reach the places pests hide — and when people, pets and food are safely out of the way.

Cockroaches, bedbugs, rodents, termites and mosquitoes are a reality for many homes and businesses in Kenya, from apartments in Kilimani to restaurants, schools and storage facilities. A professional treatment can bring an infestation under control, but how well you prepare the premises has a big effect on the result. Here is a practical checklist to work through with your pest control provider.

Before the treatment

Get an inspection first. A good provider will inspect before quoting, identify the pest and how far it has spread, and explain which method they plan to use — spraying, gel baits, dusting, rodent stations or full fumigation. Ask what product will be used and whether it is registered for that use in Kenya. Pest control products in Kenya are regulated by the Pest Control Products Board, and treatments should be applied by trained operators following the product label.

Agree timing and re-entry. Ask how long people and animals must stay out after treatment and plan around it. For offices and shops, a Friday evening or weekend treatment usually causes the least disruption. Let neighbours, tenants or other building occupants know if shared areas are being treated.

Clear and protect food. Put food, drinks, cutlery, plates and cooking utensils into sealed containers or cupboards, or remove them entirely. In commercial kitchens, agree with the provider which surfaces will be treated and which must be cleaned afterwards before food preparation resumes.

Give access to hiding places. Pests hide in gaps, behind and under things. Move furniture slightly away from walls, empty the cupboards under sinks, clear clutter from floors, store rooms and corners, and open the doors to stores, ceilings and service ducts the team will need to reach. For bedbugs, strip beds and wash bedding on a hot cycle; your provider may ask you to bag items.

Protect people, pets and plants. Plan for children, older relatives and anyone with asthma or allergies to be away during treatment and the re-entry period. Remove pets, including birds and fish tanks, or cover tanks and switch off aquarium pumps if instructed. Move indoor plants outside if possible.

Cover electronics and documents. Cover computers, keyboards and other sensitive equipment, and put important papers away in closed drawers.

On the day

Make sure someone with keys and authority is present to let the team in and confirm the areas to be treated. Switch off fans and air conditioning if asked, close windows as instructed, and point out any known problem spots — the drain behind the kitchen, the crack by the store room door. Then leave, and do not re-enter until the agreed time.

After the treatment

Ventilate before settling back in. Open windows and doors and allow fresh air to circulate when you return.

Clean food-contact surfaces. Wipe counters, tables and shelves where food is prepared or served. Unless told otherwise, avoid washing skirting boards, wall edges and corners where residual product may have been applied, as this is often what keeps working against pests over the following weeks.

Expect some activity. It is common to see pests for a short time after treatment as they are flushed out. Note where and when you see them and share this with your provider rather than spraying store-bought insecticide over the treated areas.

Fix the cause. Seal gaps around pipes and doors, repair leaking taps, keep bins closed and emptied regularly, and avoid leaving food out overnight. Without this, pests often return.

Plan follow-ups. Many infestations, especially bedbugs and cockroaches, need more than one visit. For businesses that handle food or serve the public, a regular preventive programme is usually more cost-effective than emergency call-outs.

How Inhouse Kenya can help

Inhouse Kenya provides fumigation and pest control for homes, offices, commercial premises and institutions across Nairobi and Kenya. Because we also provide cleaning, waste management and building repairs, we can help with the clean-up, sealing and waste issues that keep pests coming back. Get in touch to arrange an inspection.